Food Crush: Kimchi Fried Rice Topped with Candied Bacon and Fried Egg

This week I am going to share my recipe for kimchi fried rice with you!

In my version, I’m adding candied bacon for a salty-sweet crunch and a runny fried egg for a protein boost. As a child, I ate a ton of kimchi, but forgot about this spicy and slightly sweet pickled delight along the way.

Last year, when I began to heal my body through food and lifestyle, I was re-acquainted with kimchi, a staple Korean side dish consisting of seasoned vegetables fermented in a variety of spices. This fermentation gives kimchi a very unique flavor and smell, but most importantly, it makes it a probiotic. This beauty is loaded with “good” bacteria that aids with healing your gut. I truly believe that my leaky gut may have been one of the reasons I got scleroderma.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, I was exposed to all types of Asian and Middle-Eastern cuisine. When I went out to dinner with my family, we often enjoyed Thai, Korean or Middle Eastern delights.

Our household developed a fondness for kimchi. I remember going to the Korean store with my parents to buy jars of it, and then coming home to devour it on top of freshly cooked fluffy rice. If my mom was feeling up to it, she would sometimes place a runny egg on top of mine.

I have yet to make kimchi at home — for now, I buy it at the store. There are a variety of brands out there; I tend to favor Mother-In-Law’s kimchi, which is available on Amazon. These days, though, most grocery stores carry it — including your local Safeway.

When making fried rice, I strongly suggest using day-old, cold rice; it just fries better. If you use rice that’s just been cooked, your fried rice will have a soggy, porridge-like texture. The egg and bacon are not necessary, but I love the flavor that the candied bacon adds and I love to top just about any dish with a fried egg.

When making this dish, I start by preheating the oven for the bacon and then I start the prep for the fried rice. Once the oven is pre-heated, I place the seasoned bacon in the oven and start frying up the rice.

Eggy Kimchi Fried Rice with Candied Bacon

Gluten free | Vegan option with no egg and bacon

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins (varies if you add egg/and or bacon)

Total Time: 60 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For fried rice:

3 tbsp toasted sesame oil

4 cups day-old jasmine rice

2 1/2 cups kimchi, chopped into small pieces

2 tbsp kimchi liquid

1 cup red onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp coconut aminos or soy sauce

¼ tsp black pepper

Salt to taste

2 scallions sliced into ½-inch rounds

1 serrano chili pepper, sliced into thin rounds

For candied bacon:

4 slices bacon

1 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp cayenne pepper

For fried eggs:

1 tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

¼ tsp salt

Method:

For candied bacon:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and rub both sides of bacon generously with brown sugar and cayenne pepper.

2. Place on a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

3. Once bacon has cooled down, chop into small pieces and set aside.

For fried rice:

1. Heat wok on medium-high and add 3 tbsp sesame oil.

2. Once the wok is heated, add onion and garlic and saute till onions are translucent and mixture is fragrant.